Wire wrench



July 22, 1947,

E. e. SCHWYN 2,424,370,

WIRE WRENCH Filed July 26, 1944 M. [In

IN VEN TOR.

gdwara G Schwyn AZQ/s Patented July 22,1947

OFFICE WIRE WRENCH Edward G. Schwyn, Bryan, Ohio Application July 26,1944, Serial No. 546,676

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a wire wrench or a wrench-like device which isadapted for twisting two wires together or the terminal end of a wirearound a straight-a-Way portion thereof such as one looped around apost.

One object of the invention is to provide a wire wrench which may bemade in a single piece and in the form of a simple casting or the likerequiring a minimum of machining operations.

Another object is to provide a wire wrench which is inexpensive tomanufacture and which may therefore be sold at a relatively small cost.

Still another object is to provide a wire wrench which may be used totwist wires together without marring the surface of the wires, andespecially galvanized wires exposed to atmospheric conditions and whichare marred by the serrations of a pair of pliers which is the usual toolused for twisting wires together.

A further object is to provide a wire wrench having an opening thereinthrough which one wire may be threaded and the end of the wire bent soas to hold the wire while a cam-like slot of the wire wrench coacts withanother wire whereupon the wrench may be rotated for swingin the firstwire toward the second one and keep them tight, and then upon furtherrotation the first wire is wrapped around the second one with thewrappings spaced as desired.

With these and other objects in View, my invention consists in theconstruction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of mydevice whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinaftermore fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a face view of a wire Wrench embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is an edge view of my wire wrench.

Figure 3 is a plain view of a post with a wire therearound and my wrenchin use, the first step of the wrapping operation being illustrated.

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are similar views showing further progressive stepsin the wrapping operation.

Figure 7 isa sectional view on the line 'I-'l of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 6 but with the wrench omitted andthe wire wrapping shown complete, and

Figure 9 is a face view of a, modified form of my wire wrench,particularly adapted for heavier wire.

On the accompanying drawing I have used the reference character B toindicate the body memher of my wire wrench. The body B has a handleportion l0 and a pair of curved finger-like portions I2 and Id. Theportions I2 and I4 form a slot I '5. The outer end of the slot I 6terminates in a hook-like member I8 while the inner end of the slotterminates at substantially the center of the tool. Surrounding theinner terminal end of the slot I6 is a cone shaped projection 20adjacent which is an inclined boss 22. The boss 22 has an opening 24formed therethrough, the inclination of which is approximately the sameas the inclination of the surface of the cone.

In Figure 9 I illustrate a modified form of my invention which issimilar in most respects to the form shown in Figure 1 and thereforebears the same reference numerals. Slot I6 is somewhat wider, the hole24 is somewhat larger and the finger I4 and handle II] are somewhatlonger, thus adapting the wrench of Figure 9 for heavier wire.

Practical operation In the operation of my wire wrench, taking forexample a straightaway or main wire 26 around a post 28 and the terminalend of the wire or wrapping wire being shown at 30, the wire 30 isthreaded through the hole 24 in the direction shown in Figure 3 and bentas at 32 to retain the wire wrench on the wire. The straightaway wire 26may be tightened with a wire stretcher, or by hand by merely moving thewire wrench in the direction of the'arrow a, and the open end of theslot I 6 and. the hook I8 engaged with the straightaway wire I6. By nowlifting up on the handle III, the curvature of the slot I6 effects acamming action of the wire wrench upwardly in Figure 3 to the positionof Figure 4 wherein the wrench has been tipped about 45 degrees. Thiscauses the wire 26 to move relatively inward as indicated by thearrow 1) in Figure 1 to the position shown by dotted lines at the innerend of the slot. This will cross the wires 26 and 30 as shown in Figure5 and further rotation will start the wire 30 wrapping around the wire26 as shown in Figure 6.

Continued rotation of the wire wrench will wrap the wrapping wire 30several times around the main wire 26 as shown in Figure 8 and towardsthe end of the wrapping operation, the portion 32 of the wire may bestraightened out to finally complete the wrapping. The coils of thewrapping may b either close as shown in Figure 8 or open as desireddepending upon the users wishes.

As the hole 24 is smooth and likewise the surface of the cone 20 issmooth, there will be no damaging of the surface of the Wire exceptpossibly the terminal end 32 which is immaterial.

showing the full size for a wrench which will take wires up to about A"in diameter, and Figure 9 being on a smaller scale and adapted forwrapping wires up to in diameter or thereabouts. At the same time mywire wrench is very simple to make and requires but a minimum ofmachining operations after it is cast.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of theparts of my device without departing from the real spirit and purpose ofmy invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modifiedforms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may bereasonably included within their scope without sacrificing any of theadvantages thereof.

I claim as my invention:

l. A wire wrench comprising a substantially flat body havingintermediate its ends a cone shaped projection from the plane of thebody, a slot having its outer open end at one end of said body memberand extending inwardly to said cone shaped projection and having itsinner end terminating substantially at the center thereof, said slotbeing curved and adapted to receive a main wire in said outer open endof said slot and to guide said wire to the inner end of the slot with a,camming action, due to its curvature when the wrench is rotated aroundsaid wire, said body member having an angularly directed hole therein toreceive a wrapping wire portion of said main wire after it extendsaround a post or the like, reception of said wrapping wire portion beingadjacent said cone shaped projection and on the side thereof oppositesaid slot, and said angular holebeing surrounded by an inclined bossextending part way up the side of said cone shaped projection, thedirection of said hole being substantially parallel to the surface ofthe cone.

2. A wire wrench comprising a body having a cone shaped projection fromone face thereof, a slot having its outer open end at one end of saidbody member and extending inwardly to said cone shaped projection, saidslot being adapted to receive a main wire in said outer open end of said4 slot and having a curved side of substantial length adapted to guidesaid wire to the inner end of the slot with acamming action when thewrench is rotated around said main wire, and said body member having anangularly directed hole therein to receive a wrapping wire portion ofsaid main wire after it extends around a post or the like, reception ofsaid wrapping wire portion being adjacent said cone shaped projectionand on the side thereof opposite said slot, the angularity of said holepermitting said wrapping wir portion to be bent to an acut angle afterpassage therethrough whereby said camming action can be had and sometightening of the wire will occur during such action.

3. In a wire wrench, a fiat body' having a slot extending inwardly fromone side of said body,

said slot being adapted to receive a main wire and to guide it to theinner end of the slot with a camming action when the wrench is rotated,said slot having an elongated concave side terminating in a hook toengage said main wire for the purpose of starting said camming action,said concave side of said slot effecting completion of the cammingaction as the wrench is rotated, said body member having an angulardirected hole therein to receive a wrapping wire portion of said mainwire which can then be provided with an acute bend to retain saidwrapping portion therein until such rotation is well started.

4. In a Wire wrench, a substantially fiat handle member having a cammingslot from one end thereof, one side of said slot being elongated andconcave, a cone shaped projection from one face of said handle memberand surrounding the inner terminal end of said slot, and a hole throughsaid handle member and opposite said slot, said hole extending at anangle inclined in the general direction of the surface of said coneshaped projection.

EDWARDG. SCHWYN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Wallis Apr. 14', 1942

